Former Victoria wicketkeeper Peter Roach has been named as the new chief executive of Northern Districts Cricket.

He replaces fellow former first-class cricketer David Cooper, who begins his new role as general manager of domestic cricket with New Zealand Cricket in Auckland in February, after nine years serving Northern Districts.

Roach, also a former Australia Under-19 representative, played for Victoria between 1995 and 2005, and holds a business and commerce degree from Melbourne's Deakin University.

Majoring in sport management, he received the top graduate award at Deakin and is completing an MBA.

He is manager of cricket operations for the Australian Cricketers' Association, a role he has held since 2008.

Prior to entering cricket administration, the 37-year-old was chief executive of the Dandenong Basketball Association, a significant professional sporting body within the ultra-competitive Melbourne sporting scene.

Northern Districts Cricket Board chairman Lachlan Muldowney said he was "extremely pleased" to have "such a high calibre" chief executive as Roach to carry on Cooper's great work.

"With Peter's knowledge of the game as a professional cricketer, proven business and leadership skills and his well-established cricketing connections in Australia, India and beyond, we're confident Peter is perfectly placed to lead Northern Districts into the next era," Muldowney said.

Roach, his wife and young family will relocate from Melbourne to Hamilton in the new year, with Roach taking up his new appointment in February.

"I'm really excited to be heading over to Hamilton to work in such a progressive and professional organisation," he said.

Meanwhile, a 13-man squad has been named for the Northern Knights' next T20 match, against the Auckland Aces at Eden Park on Boxing Day. Seamer Anurag Verma and all-rounder Brett Hampton are included, with neither of the two having got on the field for ND this season, while leg-spinner Ish Sodhi could be in line to make his T20 debut.